Thermostatic temperature-regulator.



W. J. RUFF. THBRMOSTATIG TEMPERATURE REGULATOR APPLIUATION FILED JULY 26, 1907.

Patented May 4, 1909.

mum/g1 My. 0 BY MM ATTUHNEU "UNITED STATEQPATENT OFFICE.

'VILLIAM J. RUFF, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MEUSNEASSIG'NMENT-S, To CHARLES J. TAGLIABUE, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

'nmmuos'm'rrc rEMPEnArrUn -nEeUnATon.

Specificatien of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1m.

Application filed July26, 1907. Serial No. 385,657.

To all whom it may cancer n: Y Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. RUFF, a. citizen of the United States, and a resident of Quincy, in the county of Adams, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thermostatic TemperatureRegulators, of which the following is a specification.

can be installed at a distance from the art exposed to heat so that the controller wil not be injuriously afiected'by vapors,-etc."

The apparatus comprises two principal parts, to wit, a thermostat, that is a devlce exposed to heat, and a controller connected with the thermostat and having means, actuated by the change of pressure-due to increase or decrease of temperature, for

operating some mechanism controlling the temperature. For mstance, 1f it is desired to regulate the temperature of an apparatus plied to a heater. A may represent a tank heated by steam portion heated by steam, the controller would be ca able of throttling or even entirely shutting o the flow of steam.

A typical example of myinvention is shown .in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is'a sectional elevation of the controller part of the apparatus; Fig. 2' is a plan of the controller; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the thermostat; and Fig. 4 is a diarammatic view showing the invention apentering at and leaving at A B 1s the thermostat, C h controller located at a distance therefrom, and Dtbe (metal) tube connecting them. Preferably a fiexible-capillary tube of copper is em- .ployed. The thermostat OOmPIISGS a bulb E,

partially or entirely filled with a fluid (liquid or gas) volatile liquids being suitable in many cases. This bulb is permanently connected with the extension E and with the tube D, the joints between these parts being perfecltly tight. The extension E has a tapering I adapted toengage alike seat of a socket F threaded externally and internally. The external thread-is for connecting the socket with the tank A 'or other apparatus.

The closed inner end of" the socket, which projects into the ap aratus, is held in close contact with the bulb E by means of a union or screw )lug G which screws into the socket F and'aiso presses the ta er'ng or conical surfaces of the extension E and socket F closely together, these surfaces being care.-

fully finished to obtain a tight fit. It will be understood that by simply unscrewing the plug G, 'the bulb E and extension E may be removed from the socket F,.the latter remaining connected with the tank, so that the heating 0 eratio n may continue in the tank if a new ulb and connections are to be inserted, Quick .repairsmay thus be made to the thermostat.

' The other end of the tube D is connected with what 1 term a capsular s ring H, that is a chamber the walls of whic are made of two wavy or elastic metal p'lates having a tendency to contract under the influence of atmospheric pressure. The expansion of'the fluid contained in the bulb E however tends to enlarge the chamber H. One of the end plates 0 said chamber is permanently connected with the tube D and with a plugor nipple J suitably supported in the controller caslng K. These parts, that is the ca sular spring H with its support J, the tube and v t e bulb E withextens'ion E and screw plug .G, are quickly removable, and by having a set of these parts in reserve, the apparatus can be restored to operativeness in a very short time in case of breakage. The tube D may be covered'with a protector, and 'as'a flexible armored tube.

The vertically movable central portion of the upper wall of the capsularjspring H is adapted to engage, when it has rlsen a cer'.

tain distance, the lower end. of a screw Ladjustable in a lever M. For this purpose the screwmay have an angular head L ada tedv to be engaged and turned by a suitable ey. The screw L has secured to it a pointer L adapted to indicate on a scale M which may be graduated according to degrees of temperature. The scale or, dial M is rigidly fas tened to the lever M whi h M on the controller casing K and carries a weight M at its free end. Unless the lever is raised by the expansion pf the ca sular spring H,.the weight M is sup orte "by a stem N resting on a ball valve su ported is fulcrumed at on the valve seat P cf a stationary vs ve cas- 55 lift some of the fluid as 1 F.) will bringthe va ing P. The ball and stem are separate parts engaging each other loosely, so as to avoid side strains. The stem N is guided in a plug Q screwing into the upper end of the valve casing, and there is suflicient looseness around the stem to afford a vent and allow of the escape of fluid from the chamber P above the ball valve 0. This chamber is in com munication with the passage F leading to a controlled device, say a diaphragm chambew operative'ly connected with a throttle valve governing the flow of steam to the tank A. Such devices being well-known in the art, I have not shown them in detail in the drawings. The top wall of the chamber P has a valve seat P at the opening in which the stem N works, so that when the valve 0 is raised against said seat, the chamber P no longer communicates with the open air. The lower valve seat P has a supply channel P connected with a compressed air pipe or other source of fluid under pressure.

Under certain conditions, the screw L will be out of engagement with the capsular spring H and the weighted lever M will by pressing on the stem N hold the valve 0 down on its lower seat P, preventing the inflow of fluid under pressure through the channel P but allowing any fluid which has previously therefrom to'the open air through the chamber P and .the central bore of. the lug Q. The throttle valve controlled by t e diaphragm or other device to whichthe passage P leads, will therefore be fully open. If the temperature in the tank A should rise too high, .theexpansion of the volatile or other fluid in the bulb E, being propagated through the tube D, will raise the upper wall of the capsular spring until it engages the end of the screw L, and will then lift said screw with the lever M. This relieves the pressure keeping the valve 0 on its lower. seat, and ressure from the channel P will lift the va ve and pass through the chamber P and passage P to the dia hra m or other device controlling the thrott e va ve. The latter will be closed more or less according to the lift of the valve 0, andthe amount of steam flowing to the tank A being r duced proportionately, the temperature will fall to the desired degree. It will be understood that only when the valve Ois lifted fully against theupper seat P will the full pressure from the channel reach the passage P but in case of a partial under pressure will exhaust through the central channel of the plu The normal position of the valve 5 (that is, when the tem erature is just right) will be away from both seats P, P, so that the throttle valve will be partly 0' en. A very slight increase of temperature {as little ve O nearerto or even against the upperseat P causing a further closing of the throttle valve, while a reached the passage P to escape similar fall of temperature will bring the valve 0 nearer to or down upon its lower seat P, causing the throttle valve to open more fully. in practice, the valve will generally iiutter up and down in accordance with slight variations in temperature.

The apparatus having once been set for a certain temperature, will be very sensitive and reliable to preserve it. If it is desired to set it for a higher temperature, the screw L is adjusted upward, and for maintaining a lower temperature, the screw is adjusted downward, the pointer l indicating the control temperature on the dial or scale M. V Various modifications may be made without departing from the nature of my invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A temperature controller, comprising a socket having a closed inner wall and adapted to be secured to the apparatus whose temperature is to be regulated, a bulb secured within said socket, a tube one end of which communicates with said bulb, a capsular spring communicating with the other end of said tube, a support for said spring, and mechanism governed by the movement of the sprin the said-capsular spring, the tube, and the ulb being permanently connected and removable and 2. A socket adapted to receive the bulb of a thermostat, said socket being closed at one end, open at the other, and provided with an internal seat flaring toward said open end and adapted to engage a tapered extension of the bulb, and a perforated screw lug fitted into the open end of the soc et and adapted to press said extension of the bulb toward said seat.

3. A thermostat comprising a socket having a closed end and provided with an inclined seat, a bulb located within the socket and provided with a tubular extension having a taper to fit said seat, a perforated plu" surrounding a portion of said extension and having a screw connection with the socket,

the extension against said inclined seat, a tube communicating with said bulb and exism connected with said tube and operated by the expansion and contraction of the fluid contained in the bulb and tube.

4. A controller comprisin a valve casing having a channel for the admission of flui under ressure, a chamber to which said channei leads, a vent from said chamber, valve seats located at the inner ends of the said channel and vent respectively, a passage connected with'said chamber and arranged to communicate with the controlled mech ber and arranged to engage either seat, a stem passing through the vent with a clear- ;ance and arranged to engage the valve, and

exchangeable together.

and arranged to press the tapered portion of tending through said extension and mechan-' anism, a ball valve contained in said cham-- 5. The combination of a bulb, acapsular' spring, a tube connectin the bulb'with the spring, a lever mounte adjacent to said spring, a projection carried by said lever and located in registry. with the central portion.

of the spring;' means for adjusting the lever for various predetermined temperatures, means connected with the lever, for pressing the projection toward the capsular 5 ring, a stem engaged by said lever at one en a ball engaged by the other end of the stem, a valve chamber containin said'ball and provided with a vent through which thestem with a clearance, said chamber being also provided with an inlet on the side of the ball opposite to the stem, to admit fluid under pressure, and with a passage arranged to communicate with the 'controlled mechanism.

6. The combination'of a bulb, a capsular spring, a tubeconnecting' the bulb with the asses spring, a lever mounted adjacent to said spring, a screw carried by said lever and arranged to engage the central portion of the spring, a dial and pointer connected one with the lever and the other with the screw,

to indicate their relative positions, means, connected with the lever, for pressing thescrew toward the capsular spring, a stem engaged by said lever at one end, a ball engaged by the other end of the stem, a valve chamber containing said ball and provided with a vent through which the stem-passes.

with a clearance, said chamber being also provided .with an inlet on the side of the ball opposite to the stem, to admit fluid under 1 pressure, and with a passage arranged to communicate with the controlled mechanism.

setmy hand this 15th day of A ril, 1907. WILLIAM RUFF.

In presence of- GERHARD G. ARENDS, .HENRY DAMHORST.

In testimony whereof,- I have hereunto 7 

